Steve Achelis with the Salt Lake Co. Sheriff's SAR Team and ski patroller has a website with avalanche safety information and an extensive, objective, comparison of avalanche beacons:http://www.beaconreviews.com/transceivers/

I have tried to contact the local avalanche center but I get no response.

hahahha....it's because they are sitting under an avalanche. I just read an article about a Colorado Avalanche center that actually sat in an avalanche area, and was buried 3 times by avalanches. How messed up is that?!?!